SWTOR: The Becoming Series Episode I Part I
by Luminescent Fool
Summary: A major overhaul of my last attempt to introduce everyone to one or more of the characters that I would hope to create when SWTOR is released.


**Episode I - "The Beginning – Part I"**  
As Written by the Luminescent Fool

The small Tatooine settlement of Anchorhead needed only one cantina. Not two. And, in Ra Rhodes opinion, things would be getting back to normal soon enough. The latest establishment was being tentatively called _The Hammerhead_. And its Ithorian owner had only recently declared the place open for business. That, of course, didn't mean that the building was new. Or that it was clean either.

Then again, who was Ra to judge the place by its obviously decaying exterior? This was only the first time he'd been here. And from his concealed position up in the cantina's nearly inaccessible loft, he wasn't actually interacting with the barkeep or the _Hammerhead_'s random smattering of patrons. He was far too busy trying to keep his position hidden, while also keeping an eye out for a certain, elusive trader. If his intel was correct, the trader was going to be walking through the door at any moment.

_Maybe this will be the day_, he thought. He let a restrained sigh escape his throat. Once this was all over, perhaps some light would finally be cast upon the darkness that veiled the earlier days of his life. The thought amused him. A man with even a nominal amount of sense would know better than to chase the answers he sought. But that was just him – the fool. He needed things to be clear…if only to still the demons inside for but a moment's time.

Ra closed his eyes and tried to relax his body using an echani meditation technique a friend had taught him after the accident. His body had been so horribly ravaged then that he'd been open to about anything to quiet the pain. Severe head trauma had rendered him amnesic as well, and he could only remember from that point forward. That was thirteen years ago.

He pushed the past back where it belonged and attempted to regain concentration. Leaving his eyes closed, he took in a deep breath and caught a whiff of the _Hammerhead_'s cheap, signature brew. The stark, acrid smell nearly choked him. He caught himself, of course. The last thing he wanted to do was alert the entire establishment of his presence…especially after having been perched up in the building's stuffy loft for nearly seven hours. He was going to get through this - whatever the cost.

A change in atmosphere caused Ra to abruptly shift his focus. His eyes opened and he noticed that a figure had appeared in the entrance. For a moment, he thought perhaps all his waiting had finally paid off. He even went so far as to slide his blaster from its holster and disengage the safety. But...it turned out to be a false alarm. The newcomer, a slender twi'lek female, strode gracefully forward and looked around the small cantina, as if searching for someone. She smiled and nodded an unspoken hello to the few curious patrons who'd stopped what they were doing to cast a lingering glance her way. Ra actually thought if he were down there, he might've gone out of his way to talk to the girl. But as things stood, he could only trace her movement across the room.

He watched as she stopped at the bar and said something in her native tongue. The Ithorian shrugged his heavy shoulders and indicated that he didn't understand. She smiled politely in response and spoke in basic, asking about a man she was looking for.

Ra relaxed back into his alcove and listened to the girl's smooth, quiet voice as she spoke. She giggled every so often as she described what was shaping up to be a human male with some military experience. She went on with the man's description for another few minutes before he came to the sudden realization that she was describing…_him_. He scrambled as quietly as he could back to the ledge.

"Ra Rhodes," she was pronouncing slowly while she showed a hologram to the barkeep. He pointed her in the direction of a man in the far corner who shared some of Ra's features. She touched the Ithorian's hand, sporting a wry grin and whispered, "Thank you."

By this point, Ra was nearly ready to jump down from his hiding place and point her in the direction of the _real_ Ra Rhodes. But, she was already tapping the shoulder of the man before he could do anything too rash.

The scruffy, yellow-toothed Ra imposter reluctantly tore his attention from his drink and swiveled his head around. In some form of martial art, she hit the man square in the face. The strike landed with a cruel _crack_ that knocked the guy out cold and sent his head to land hard upon the table he was sitting at. Not missing a beat, she reached down and caught a wad of the now-unconscious man's hair, pulling his face into view. A look of disgust spread across her face. She obviously knew her target…and this wasn't him.

She whipped gracefully around, seeming to have already forgotten her misstep. The right tail of her lekku, which had earlier been wrapped below her chin and over her left shoulder, had broken free and was now dangling alongside her upper torso. Again she was holding out the hologram. This time she made sure everyone could see it.

"Ra Rhodes," she said again. "Where is he?"

No one answered.


End file.
